Expandible stopper



Aug.. 7,' 1923.

G. J. LEUVEUNK BIPANDIBLE sTPPER Fil'd Jan. 11 1921 ATI'CHNEY Patented Aug. 7, 1923 sra-'rss N.artnr orties.

EXPANDIBLE STQPPER.

Application filed January 11, 1921. Serial No. 436,567.

To ZZ whom 7715 may concern:

Be it known that l, Giani-:1r J. LnUvnLiNK, a citizen of the United States,`residinv at Paterson, in the'eounty ot Passaic and @tate of New Jersey,have invented new and useful .limjvirovements in- `llxpandible Stoppers, of which the following is aspecification.

My present invention has reference to ay means tor plugging` boiler tubes to permit of repairs being made thereto.

My object is to produce a simple, comparatively cheap and thoroughly eflicient means which may be readily inserted in a boiler tube, and adjusted to effectively plug the tube.

A further object is the production of a plug or stopper for either water or fire tubes of boilers which comprises a plurality of parts that are inserted as a unit in the tube and adjusted to expand the same against the tube to stop or plug the tube, and also in which the mit element employed in the adjustment may be embedded in a fire clay or the like to prevent the ei'ect of the heat thereon, and also to insure the ready removal thereof from the bolt with which it engages.

The foregoing, and other objects which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, may be accomplished by a construction, combination and operative arrangement of parts, such asis disclosed by the drawings which accompany and which form part of this application.

In the drawings Figure 1 is an approximately central vertical longitudinal sectional view through the improvement showing the same employed` for stopping or plugging a boiler tube.

Figure 2 is a sectional view approximately on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end view of the wedges.

Figure t is a similar view of the inner clamping ring.

Figure 5 is a similar view of the outer clamping ring.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the numeral 1 designates a boiler plate and 2 a boiler tube which has its bore plugged or stopped in accordance with this invention. The improvement includes four segmental wedges, 3 respectively. Each of the wedges has its outer face rounded to correspond with the inner contour of the tube 2 and its inner face provided with a straight face 4 that flares inwardly from its Outer to its inner end, that is from the end which is ari ranged next to the boilerplate 1. Alliot the wedge segments 3 have peripheral defressions 5 desi'ned to register and re-' 5U tu L1 7 ceived in these depressions is a split spring member 6 that holds the wedge sections as-l` sembled. i f

Before the wedge members 3 are inserted in the tube 2, there isr arranged 05 in the flared bore provided by the assembled we'dge segments, the flared head 6 of a bolt member 7. `The head 6 presents four angle surfaces each of which engages with one of the flared inner walls t of the respec 70 tive wedge segments 3. Arranged on the bolt 7 for contacting engagement with the inner face of the wedge,

is a clamping ring 8. The ring 8 has its outer face provided 'with an annular groove 9 75 positioned to receive therein an annular flange that forms a tongue 10 on the confronting face of the second clamping ring 11. lThe face of the clamping ring 11., on

which the tongue 10 is formed, is flared out- 30 w'ardly, as at 12, to the periphery of the ring, and from the opposite face of the said ring, the said face is llared inwardly, as at 13 to the bore of the ring. rThese flared surn faces, in connection with thestraight confronting face of the ring 8 provide pockets for compressible gaskets 14 and 15 respec tively. rlhe ring 11 has its opposite or outer face provided with a depression forming a pocket 16. Screwed on the bolt 7, and de- 9 signed to contact with the inner wall provided by the pocket 16 in the ring member 11, is a nut 17. The pocket is of a sufficient area to permit of the free insertion of a wrench for turning the nut. The nut turned on the bolt will draw the bolt longitudinally in an outward direction through the tube 2,

thus spreading the segmental clamping members 3 to bring the latter 'in tight engagement with the bore of the tube. A turther turning of the nut on the bolt will force the ring 11 toward the ring 8, causing the tongue 10 of the ring 11 to enterI the groove 9 of the ring 8, and also ycompressing the gaskets 14 and 15 between the confronting 105 faces `of the ring, thus insuring a water tight joint between the bolt and the rings as well as between the rings andthe tube. The pocket 16 serves as a receptacle for ai fire clay or similar packing 18 that surrounds 110 the outer end of the bolt and the nut, thus protecting these members Jfrom excessive heat, and permitting the ready separation of the nut from the bolt when the re elay has been removed. Y

It is thought that the foregoing description, When taken in connection with the drawings will fully set forth the construetion and advantages of thel improvement to those skilled in the art to which such inventions relate Without further detailed deseription. l

Having'deseribed the invention, I elaim1- In a `plug or stopper for boiler tubes, a Wedge madevup of a plurality of independ-v ent non-eontaetng segments each having its inner face flared and its outer peripheral face grooved, a split ring in the groove for holding. the sections assembled, opposed rings at the outer face of the Wedge, the inner ring having its outer face provided with a Continuous groove, the outer ring having its inner, face provided with a continuous tongue to be `received in the groove, the said inner face of the outer ring being flared from the tongue to its bore and to itsfperiphery, Compressible gaskets between the rings at the said fiared portion of the outer ring, said outer ring having its outer face dished to provide a pocket7 a -bolt having Wedge faces on one end thereof engaging the flared sections, a nut screwed on the bolt and received in the pocket of the outer ring and designed to move the bolt longitudinally to cause the head thereof to expand the Wedge sections and to move the outer ring toward the inner ring tol compress the gaskets therebetween, and said pocket designed to receive a heat proteeting element for the end of the bolt and the nut.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

GERRIT J. LEUVELINK. 

